It's the official rest day of Dakar 2023 and, so far, balance has been the highlight on the motorbikes. Between the prologue and the seven stages disputed (one was cancelled), at this moment nobody has won in more than one day.
Yesterday it was the turn of Ross Branch (Hero MotoSports) to become the eighth different winner in this edition - beating Daniel Sanders (Red Bull GasGas) by 3m15s in eight stage. This added him to a list of race winners that also includes Sanders, Adrien van Beveren (Monster Energy Honda), Joan Barreda (Monster Energy JB Team/Honda), Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna), Mason Klein (BAS World KTM), Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy Honda) and Toby Price (Red Bull KTM).
But the show of balance doesn't stop there: Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) may not have finished at the top of any stage, but his consistency secures him the lead at the moment with 13 seconds ahead of two rivals: Kevin Benavides (Monster Energy Honda) and Klein - who has been the race's big surprise. Price is fourth at 1m58s, followed by Pablo Quintanilla (Monster Energy Honda) and van Beveren at 2m45s and 2m49s respectively.
At this moment, the top eight fits into less than ten minutes, and it is clear how close this Dakar has been. In fact, there are even 11 riders divided by less than half an hour, in a range of participants where nobody is yet truly excluded from the fight for the victory. There are seven stages left to decide the winner, with strong emotions in prospect for the next few days.
Stage winners of the Dakar (so far):
- Prologue : Toby Price (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)
- Stage 1 : Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy Honda Team)
- Stage 2 : Mason Klein (BAS World KTM Racing Team)
- Stage 3 : Daniel Sanders (Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing)
- Stage 4 : Joan Barreda (Monster Energy JB Team/Honda)
- Stage 5 : Adrien van Beveren (Monster Energy Honda Team
- Stage 6 : Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna Factory Racing)
- Stage 7 : Cancelled
- Stage 8 : Ross Branch (Hero MotoSports Team Rally)
General standings leaders in the 2023 Dakar :
- Prologue : Toby Price (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)
- Stage 1 : Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy Honda Team)
- Stage 2 : Mason Klein (BAS World KTM Racing Team)
- Stages 3 and 4 : Daniel Sanders (Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing)
- Stages 5 a 8 : Skyler Howes (Husqvarna Factory Racing)